Ex libris voor J. Slagter (ontwerp) c. 1935 - 1940

Leo Gestel made this bookplate design for J. Slagter with graphite on paper. It's a simple design, a face hovers over a swan, and both hover over Slagter's name. The graphite is light, tentative, like a whisper of an idea. I love the way the lines suggest form without fully committing, especially the face, which feels both present and like it could dissolve at any moment. There's a real softness to it all, which I think really speaks to the intimate nature of a bookplate. It's like Gestel is inviting us into a quiet, personal space. It reminds me of Twombly in that way, that delicate touch. You can really feel the hand of the artist, the way the graphite drags across the page. Gestel isn’t trying to hide the process, instead letting the materiality of the medium shine through. It feels very of-the-moment, like a thought caught in transit. This sketch feels less like a finished product, and more like an intimate glimpse into Gestel’s creative process.